Suspected Borer Could Be Big Bother To Florida Blueberry Growers
November 24, 2014 
Photo by Michael Hill
According to a Florida Blueberry Growers Association member alert, several farms have recently discovered signs of an unidentified borer on blueberry bushes. At the time of the alert, no farm had been able to find or catch this insect, but growers were asked to thoroughly scout for any dead plants or holes and sawdust in and at the base of the plants.
Oscar E. Liburd, UF/IFAS professor of fruit and vegetable entomology, was able to get an up-close look at the potential problem as samples with injury on blueberry stems resembling girdling and some levels of tunneling were brought to the University of Florida Small Fruit and Vegetable IPM Lab. “After inspecting the samples with a high powered microscope, we found insect frass inside the tunnels,” he said. “No insects or larvae were recovered; preliminary conclusions indicate that a borer may be causing the injury on blueberry stems; however, further investigation with samples containing larvae is needed to confirm that it is indeed a borer causing the injury.”
Loading ...The problem has been identified on Emerald, Flicker, Springhigh, Scintilla, and Farthing varieties, but not on Jewel.
The FBGA felt the alert was necessary to gather feedback from members. The association is inquiring UF/IFAS to perform further research to help get to the bottom of the issue.
Subscribe Today For
